Post navigation

Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor are separated by Dana White, president of the UFC, at a Los Angeles news conference in July/Photo by Gene Blevins

Once Saturday’s fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and UFC star Conor McGregor at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is over, chances are Mayweather will have dominated like most think he will. It will probably be a very one-sided victory for Mayweather.

That doesn’t mean the combatants aren’t going to talk the talk all the way up to fight night, with an emphasis on saying things that will help drive up the pay-per-view numbers to record-breaking heights.

That was evident this week at the so-called “grand arrivals.”

“McGregor is a tough competitor,” Mayweather said. “He’s undefeated standing up. He’s never lost when striking. I know that I’m in for a tough fight. But there is one thing I do know, this fight is not going the distance. No matter what anyone says, it’s not going the distance.”

While Mayweather’s comments were reasonable, one of McGregor’s was laughable.

“Floyd can talk about whatever he wants to talk about,” he said. “He can talk any kind of trash he wants, because he’s talking to the new God of boxing.”

The fight will be available on Showtime pay-per-view for $89.99, $99.99 for high definition.

Conor McGregor works out on a heavy bag Friday at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas/Photo by Gene Blevins

Conor McGregor has a lot going through his head these days as, in less than two weeks, the UFC star will take on all-time great boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Aug. 26 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (on Showtime pay-per-view). His three-month-old son Conor Jr. is also at the forefront of his mind.

“We were comparing pictures, side by side, from when I was that age and we’re like identical,” McGregor said Friday after a Las Vegas workout at the UFC Performance Institute. “I’m like, ‘Yes,’ because he’s going to look exactly like me. He has my name; it’s a legacy. I’m just in awe of my little man.”

During a conference call Monday, Sanchez was asked how cool it is that he and Alvarez’s head trainer – Eddy Reynoso – are currently looked upon as top trainers, instead of say Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather Sr., both of whom have gotten a lot of ink in past years.

Sanchez replied in prideful tones.

“Well, first of all, I’m extremely proud that two Mexicans are guiding the two best fighters in the sport and we are going to be meeting each other for supremacy on the 16th,” said Sanchez, a Mexican-American who grew up in West Covina. “I will be extremely happy that the fans recognize the fact that it’s not only Canelo as a Mexican, but Gennady has a Mexican style, but Eddy and I are both very proud Mexicans.”

Golovkin, of Kazakhstan, is 37-0 with 33 knockouts. Alvarez is 49-1-1 with 34 knockouts.

Timothy Bradley, right, takes a punch to the face from Manny Pacquiao during their April 2016 bout at MGM Grand in Las Vegas/Photo by Gene Blevins

Former two-division world champion Timothy Bradley over the weekend put out a statement regarding his retirement from the ring. His heartfelt words were a reflection of the class with which he graced the sweet science during a 12-year professional career.

“There always comes a point in life where we have to make choices that no matter how much we know the right option, it still leaves us filled with mixed emotions,” he wrote Saturday. “I have spent the past couple days trying to find the right words to describe this point in my life and no matter how long I sit and reflect, I still don’t know if these words can do my thoughts justice. But I’m going to do my best to open up my heart and share with all of you during this pivotal time.”

Bradley wrote about how, yes, along with being a pro athlete comes fame and fortune. But, he said, it also comes with “fear and fatigue, a balance that has to be achieved by ambition and maintained through perspective.”

“Boxing gave me purpose and it defined me,” Bradley wrote. “Dedicated to my craft and fueled by my passion for the sport, my love for my team and my admiration for all of you who supported me day in and day out – I was able to give 100 percent of myself to be the best and to always get up when I was knocked down. It was the biggest challenge in my life, but I embraced the sacrifice with every victory and milestone reached. Boxing gave me roots, it kept me off the streets, it gave me confidence, it taught me how to be a man and face every challenge head on and take the good with the bad.

“Yes I missed holidays, birthdays, even missed hearing some of my children’s first words. But more than time, it took my blood, sweat and tears, all things I can never get back. Which is why turning the page for me is bittersweet. That once in a lifetime purpose to wake up everyday and give 100% is now fueled towards something else- my family. I find my strength in them, my peace and most importantly, unconditional love. I wake up wanting to spend all my time being a father, being a husband and being free.”

Bradley went on, eventually giving a big thanks to those who cheered him on during a career that saw him win titles in the junior welterweight and welterweight divisions.

“And to you, the die hard fans, man, it’s been one heck of a ride,” Bradley wrote. “The bumps, the bruises, the peaks, the valleys, the days I didn’t want to get out of bed and the nights I couldn’t sleep. So many occasions where my heart, mind and soul were tested, but with every challenge there was hope and there was all of you, giving me the courage to fight another day and do what I loved to do.”

Bradley last fought in April 2016, when he lost a wide decision to Manny Pacquiao in their rubber match at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Bradley, who will be 34 on Aug. 29, finished 33-2-1 with 13 knockouts.

Lomachenko weighed in at the 130-pound limit and Marriaga came in at 129.8.

Lomachenko (8-1, 6 KOs), of Ukraine, will be looking to make the third successful defense of the title he won with a fifth-round knockout of Rocky Martinez in June 2016. Marriaga, of Colombia, is 25-2 with 21 knockouts.

Floyd Mayeather Jr. lands a punch on Robert Guerrero during their May 2013 fight at MGM Grand in Las Vegas/Associated Press photo by Isaac Brekken

Those who don’t, or can’t, buy tickets to see the Aug. 26 Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Conor McGregor bout in person at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas can purchase tickets to take in the closed-circuit feed at one of many venues around Sin City.

Tickets for the Aria, Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Monte Carlo, New York-New York, Luxor and Excalibur are priced at $150 a piece, not including applicable fees.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster, com or by calling 800-745-3000. Party packages are available at Aria, Bellagio and MGM Grand are available and can be purchased by calling 855-329-2260.

Mayweather (49-0, 26 KOs) and McGregor – a UFC star – will tangle in a 12-round, junior middleweight boxing match. It will be distributed on Showtime pay-per-view for $89.99, $99.99 for high definition.

Raymundo Beltran is introduced ahead of his fight against lightweight champion Ricky Burns in September 2013. The bout ended in a draw/Photo by Getty Images

Raymundo Beltran’s quest to obtain a green card has been ongoing, and has made for a fine story. But he is going to fight Bryan Vasquez on Saturday in the lightweight semi-main event at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, so he has to make sure he concentrates on that as well.

He assured reporters he was doing just that during a conference call Monday.

“He is a very tough opponent,” Beltran, of Mexico, said of Vasquez, of Costa Rica. “I know he is going to fight. We both have different goals. He’s got a big opportunity to fight me and I have a big challenge in front of me.

“My focus is also on the title and also on the green card situation, which is my big motivation to win the fight. He is a good fighter and I want to impress the people and I just can’t wait to get in the ring. But I am very confident by the way it is going in the gym and my mind is 100 percent right now.”

Sadam Ali, left, was stopped by Jessie Vargas in the ninth round of their title fight in March 2016 in Washington D.C./Photo by Tom Hogan, Hogan Photos

Sadam Ali of Brooklyn and Johan Perez of Venezuela on Friday successfully made weight for their welterweight bout Saturday at Casino Del Sol in Tucson (on ESPN2).

Ali weighed the 147-pound limit and Perez came in at 146.6 pounds.

Ali, who is ranked No. 8 by one governing body, is 24-1 with 14 knockouts. His only loss came to Jessie Vargas, who stopped Ali in the ninth round in a battle for a vacant world title in March 2016 in Washington D.C.

Mikey Garcia holds up his lightweight championship belt after taking it from Dejan Zlaticanin via third-round knockout in January at MGM Grand in Las Vegas/Getty Images photo by Steve Marcus

Mikey Garcia and Adrien Broner on Friday successfully made weight for their junior welterweight bout Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn (on Showtime).

Broner, who in April 2016 lost his junior welterweight title when he came in overweight for a defense against Ashley Theophane, weighed 138 3/4 pounds, easily making the 140-pound limit. Garcia weighed 139 1/2.

Victor Ortiz, shown here during his April 2016 loss to Andre Berto, believes he can again become welterweight champion/Associated Press photo by Jae C. Hong

Victor Ortiz has 12 acting credits, according to IMDb, and he claims getting more is no problem. He also wants to fight, and that’s why Sunday he’ll return to the ring after a 14-month layoff to take on Saul Corral in the welterweight main event from Rabobank Theater in Bakersfield (on Fox Sports 1).

This week, from his camp in Ventura, Ortiz at times spoke in bristling tones while discussing the resurrection of a career that has seen him lose four of his past six fights since winning the welterweight world title with a decision over Andre Berto in April 2011.

“I’ve been written off before,” said Ortiz, 30. “People have said I should retire since my first loss. I came back from that loss and became a champion. I don’t care what people have to say about me. I could go act full-time if I wanted, but I truly love this sport.”

One of the reasons why Ortiz has had only six fights in six years is because he was off 19 months after having his jaw broken by Josesito Lopez in a June 2012 fight at Staples Center. Still, Ortiz has not been real busy since losing his title to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in September 2011 via controversial fourth-round knockout.

Ortiz intimated his less-than-flattering five-month reign as champion is another reason why he is continuing his career.

“The hunger is definitely still there inside of me,” he said. “When I became world champion, it was a short-lived experience. I had reached a high pinnacle and lost it in a fashion that I was never satisfied with. I’m blessed to be healthy enough to come back.”

In that loss to Mayweather, Ortiz gave Mayweather one too many hugs after Ortiz was deducted a point for an intentional head-butt, Mayweather knocking out Ortiz with his hands at his sides.

After that loss to Mayweather, Ortiz was stopped by Lopez after the ninth round, then Ortiz was knocked out by Luis Collazo in the second round in January 2014. Ortiz’s next two starts were victories over journeymen in December 2014 and and December 2015, before Ortiz was knocked out by Berto in the fourth round in April 2016.

Yet, Ortiz (31-6-2, 24 KOs) believes he can make another serious run for a major title.

“I still feel like I can be one of the best in the 147-pound division,” Ortiz said. “It’s there for the taking. There are some gifted fighters in there and I respect them, but I believe that I have what it takes to be right up there. I’m a complete fighter.”

Corral, 30, of Mexico, is 25-9 with 16 knockouts. He has a common opponent with Ortiz in Lopez, who defeated Corral via unanimous decision in April.

Categories

Comments policy

We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. Although we do not pre-screen comments, we reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions.

If you see comments that you find offensive, please use the “Flag as Inappropriate” feature by hovering over the right side of the post, and pulling down on the arrow that appears. Or, contact our editors by emailing moderator@langnews.com.